System and method for autonomous control of a path of a vehicle

Abstract

An automotive vehicle includes at least one actuator configured to control vehicle steering, at least one sensor configured to detect a profile of a driving surface proximate the vehicle, and at least one controller in communication with the actuator and the sensor. The controller is configured to identify a plurality of potential paths within a driveable lane, determine at least one road profile parameter for each respective potential path, identify a desired path based on a comparison of the respective road profile parameters for the plurality of potential paths, and control the actuator to steer the vehicle according to the desired path.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An automotive vehicle comprising:
 at least one actuator configured to control vehicle steering; 
 at least one sensor configured to detect a profile of a driving surface proximate the vehicle; and 
 at least one controller in communication with the at least one actuator and the at least one sensor, the at least one controller being configured to identify a plurality of potential paths within a driveable lane, determine at least one road profile parameter for each respective potential path, identify a desired path based on a comparison of the respective road profile parameters for the plurality of potential paths, and control the actuator to steer the vehicle according to the desired path. 
 
     
     
       2. The automotive vehicle of  claim 1 , further comprising a body having a driver side and a passenger side, wherein the driveable lane is bounded by a driver-side lane boundary and a passenger-side lane boundary, and wherein the plurality of potential paths is defined such that for each respective path, the driver side is within the driver-side lane boundary and the passenger side is within the passenger-side lane boundary. 
     
     
       3. The automotive vehicle of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one controller is further configured to define a second plurality of potential paths within a second driveable lane, the second driveable lane being adjacent the driveable lane, and wherein the desired path is based on a comparison of the respective road profile parameters for the plurality of potential paths and of respective road profile parameters for the second plurality of potential paths. 
     
     
       4. The automotive vehicle of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one road profile parameter comprises a first weighted factor based on a lateral road profile of the respective potential path, a second weighted factor based on a vertical road profile of the respective potential path, and a third weighted factor based on a coefficient of road friction of the respective potential path. 
     
     
       5. The automotive vehicle of  claim 4 , wherein respective weights of the first weighted factor, the second weighted factor, and the third weighted factor are determined based on an operator preference input. 
     
     
       6. The automotive vehicle of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one road profile parameter comprises a weighted factor based on one or more identified obstructions on the respective potential path. 
     
     
       7. A method of controlling an automotive vehicle, comprising:
 providing the vehicle with at least one actuator configured to control vehicle steering, at least one sensor configured to detect a profile of a driving surface proximate the vehicle, and at least one controller in communication with the at least one actuator and the at least one sensor; 
 identifying, via the controller, a plurality of potential paths within a driveable lane; 
 determining, via the controller, at least one road profile parameter for each respective potential path; 
 identifying a desired path, via the controller, based on a comparison of the respective road profile parameters for the plurality of potential paths; and 
 automatically controlling the actuator, via the controller, to steer the vehicle according to the desired path. 
 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 7 , wherein the driveable lane is bounded by a driver-side lane boundary and a passenger-side lane boundary, and wherein the plurality of potential paths is defined such that for each respective path, the vehicle is positioned between the driver-side lane boundary and the passenger-side lane boundary. 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 7 , further comprising identifying, via the controller, a second plurality of potential paths within a second driveable lane, the second driveable lane being adjacent the driveable lane, wherein the desired path is based on a comparison of the respective road profile parameters for the plurality of potential paths and of respective road profile parameters for the second plurality of potential paths. 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 7 , wherein the at least one road profile parameter comprises a first weighted factor based on a lateral road profile of the respective potential path, a second weighted factor based on a vertical road profile of the respective potential path, and a third weighted factor based on a coefficient of road friction of the respective potential path. 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 10 , wherein respective weights of the first weighted factor, the second weighted factor, and the third weighted factor are determined based on an operator preference input. 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 7 , wherein the at least one road profile parameter comprises a weighted factor based on one or more identified obstructions on the respective potential path.